Martin Fréminet’s design for the ceiling of the Chapelle de la Trinité Fontainebleau – estimate €70,000-100,000 at Christie’s Paris.
Image copyright: Christie’s Images Ltd 2022
May 18 is the date when it offers the Michelangelo drawing after Masaccio of a naked man with two figures behind him which has an estimate in the region of €30m (see ATG No 2536). This will be followed by a selection of Old Masters covering, paintings, drawings and sculpture.
The drawings element numbers around 100 works including examples by Jean- Honoré Fragonard, Jean-Antoine Watteau and Jean-Baptiste Greuze and features several rediscovered works.
Among them is a group of three unpublished drawings by Martin Fréminet (1567-1619), an artist from the second school of Fontainebleau.
They are preparatory drawings for the painted decoration of the Chapelle de la Trinité at the Château de Fontainebleau executed in chalk, pen and ink and brown wash and were probably done between 1603-08 before work on the chapel began.
One of them, shown here, is a design for the ceiling whose subject was Christ triumphant on the day of the Last Judgement. This features a medallion with an allegorical figure representing Faith surrounded by architectural motifs.
It measures 6 x 8½in (15.5 x 22cm) and has an estimate of €70,000-100,000.
A second drawing depicts a figure of one of the biblical kings in an architectural medallion and is guided at €20,000- 30,000, while the third shows a medallion decorated with two harpies and garlands and has an estimate of €7000-10,000.
Rare Joris drawing
David Joris’ drawing of King David combating the Vices – estimate €40,000-60,000 at Christie’s.
Image copyright: Christie’s Images Ltd 2022
Another potential highlight of the drawings section is a rare drawing by David Joris (c.1501-56), a religious Anabapist leader and Netherlandish artist who was also active in Switzerland.
The highly detailed work measuring 16½ x 11¼in (42 x 29cm), in pen and red and brown ink monogrammed di, depicts King David combating the Vices and is estimated at €40,000-60,000.
